I nodded. “You told me that before. That I had a little of all three.”
“Yup, I did,” Al said, as she cracked her arthritic knuckles. “But it’s more than that. You have strong traits of all three types of Martis. You healed someone who was half dead. Add to the fact that his soul was almost non-existent, and the tiny piece you found was covered in centuries of evil, and it’s amazing that you healed him at all. But you did. You are a powerful healer.” My heart sank. I didn’t want to hear this. It didn’t matter now. “And then during the battle—I watched you fight the Valefar. You hesitated at first, but then you became luminescent as you cut down anything in your way. And I know the demon kiss haunts you. You managed to attack while hearing the Martis cry out around you. Nothing distracted you. You fought like a great warrior.”
“No, I didn’t. I hesitated, because,” I took a deep breath knowing my next words would sound insane. “I didn’t want to kill them. They’re slaves, Al. They have no choice. Every power they were given is laced with pain. Even their conversions—their demon kisses—were scarring on so many levels. No part of them remained unscathed. The demons stole their lives. They got an eternity of servitude with never ending agony. I didn’t want to kill them.”
The room was so silent I could hear Shannon and Al breathing. I swallowed hard, not looking at either of them. Al finally said, “Ivy, you see things we can’t. It’s who you are. There’s never been one like you before. Just be careful that your anger doesn’t get a hold of you again. I can sense it beneath your sadness.”
I hung my head. “I’m fine. It’s just… too much happened too fast. My life was ripped out of my hands, and people that I trusted turned on me.”
“I know who you’re talking about,” she said. “Eric didn’t do what they told you. I don’t know why he didn’t correct you, when you repeated it to him.”
“No,” I shook my head, “He killed Apryl. He said so.”
Al answered, “I know what he said. I also know he didn’t do it. I saw who killed her, and it wasn’t him.”
Shannon leaned forward, asking, “You saw it? Who was it?”
“I don’t know,” Al answered. “I haven’t seen the person before. I’m sorry, but I don’t know. I just know it wasn’t Eric.”
I pushed my hair out of my face and let out a whoosh of air. “Where is he?”
Shannon spewed cookie, saying, “Julia assigned him somewhere awful for disobeying her.”
“But he saved everyone… He had to help me to close the pit. Without him, we would have died.” What the hell was wrong with her? I couldn’t believe she would punish him for saving everyone.
“Doesn’t matter,” Shan patted the crumbs from her lips, “She doesn’t do things that way.”
“What way?” I asked. “The sane way? How hard is it to notice his disobedience saved her? Is that the way Martis are thanked? What is wrong with that woman?” My shoulders slumped as I deflated. I didn’t understand Julia. I didn’t want to either. I asked, “Well, how do I find him?”
“Through Julia,” Al said.
“Figures,” I huffed. “And she’s in Italy. Swell.”
“I’m going,” Shannon licked the cream off her fingers, “You should come.”
I blinked at her. “Why are you going to Italy?”
“To report the prophecy stuff. I witnessed it and was one of the only Dyconisi there. You should come. You can hunt down Eric. You can also find out what happened to your sister.” Al shot her a look. “If you wanted.”
I looked at Al. “What aren’t you telling me? Does Eric know what happened to Apryl? Did you see something?”
Al shook her head. “I didn’t see anything that would help. Just faces. And I don’t know what Eric knows. Sometimes that boy says nothing, trying to get around the lying thing that binds us to tell the truth.” She leaned back in her chair, “I suspect he knows more than he said.”
Thoughts spun in my head so fast, I felt like I was going to hurl. Giddy excitement that Collin might be alive was trying to rise to the surface, but I couldn’t let it. That was too much. I couldn’t bear it. I didn’t know what to do. Or what to think.
The vision pulled me in quickly, before I could put my head down. I felt the rush of air against my skin, but not the impact of the table.
Black mist swirled around me. When it cleared, I was surrounded in inky darkness. But, this black was weird. I couldn’t see anything, despite my enhanced vision. I started to panic, wondering what happened. I heard nothing, and saw nothing. Goose bumps rose on my arms. It felt like I was trapped in a coffin, and I almost screamed. But just then—I felt something. A silky thread of the bond licked my stomach.
No. It couldn’t be.
I repressed what I thought was a lie, but it wouldn’t obey me. The sensation became stronger and I knew it was him. Collin was near. I was afraid to call out, not knowing where I was, and unable to see through the darkness. Collin? I silently asked, not expecting anything back. My mind and my senses were at war. My brain was still denying the possibility, but my senses had accepted reality.
Collin’s panicked voice reached my mind. Ivy, run. Get out of here now!
But, I wasn’t really here, so I didn’t know why I had to run? I didn’t try to wake up. I wanted to find him. A voice in the darkness wasn’t enough. I had to see him. Suddenly I felt something, and I could see again. The darkness became thick, as the air dripped with moisture. Flaming eyes, the size of ovens, appeared before me. When the creature opened its mouth to speak, I thought I’d die, the smell was putrid. “Come to me, Ivy Taylor,” his voice gurgled like he was choking on rocks. “Let me reclaim what’s mine.”
I started to walk toward him. He couldn’t hurt me. This was a vision. The room felt colder and colder. I stepped nearer and nearer to the demon. “You’re Kreturus?”
“I am,” it gurgled. As I got closer, I could see faintly. The creature was huge. It spread from one end of the cave to the other. I looked around and noticed it wasn’t a cave. I was standing in a pit. Suddenly, the bond raged within me. It wrapped around my core and started to jerk me back into the darkness.
Collin cried out, “You can’t have her!” The demon made a horrifying sound. My heart pounded in my chest when I saw that I was right in front of it. I pushed myself away, retreating back into the thick mist, and back into the darkness. The bond pushed me hard, one final time. Then, I woke from the vision sucking in air. My body was ice cold.
“He’s alive,” the words flew out of my mouth as I sat up. My heart hammered. “And he’s with that thing.”
Al put her hand on my back to steady me. “Tell me what you saw.”
I told them everything. No one spoke when I was done. Staring into space, I said, “I know he’s there.”
Al breathed in a shocked breath. “Kreturus almost took you,” she stuttered. “You stopped breathing.”
“You went white Ivy. And cold.” Shannon sat next to me. Her eyes were wide.
Slightly stunned, I looked at them. I felt it in the vision. It made sense now. “I felt it—the cold, the demon, and the deformed bond. It was weird. I went right up to the demon. I’ve never been seen in a vision before. How did it see me? It can’t kill me in a vision, can it?”
Al shook her head. “Kreturus can’t pull Martis in through a vision, but you aren’t a pure Martis. The blood that flows through your veins is his blood. While you aren’t enslaved like the other Valefar, he can still exert control over you in your visions. And without the ability to conjure light, you will be at his mercy.”
“She did conjure light,” Shannon said. “I saw it come to her when she healed Collin.”
Al regarded me carefully, “If that is true, then you should be able to use it in your visions. But, it’s not responding to you as it does to a Martis. And if the light will not protect you when you call it—Ivy, no one has ever gone into that pit and come back out.”
A smile spread across my face. A tinge of hope shot through m
e. “The demons did. Thousands of them almost crawled out of it the other night. But, there was no trace of them in my vision today. They were gone.”
Al’s voice sounded frantic, “What do you mean, they were all gone? The demons should have been trapped in the pit with him. The Martis that captured him made sure that pit was isolated and secure. There was no way in and no way out. The demons who battled with him were trapped down there with him.
“If the demons are able to enter and leave as they wish, then what’s holding Kreturus there?” The nun looked sullen.
“I don’t know, Al. But, he acted like he was still trapped. He was really pissed off when Collin used the bond to shove me out of the vision. Maybe the demons were able to escape, but not Kreturus. Somehow the demons left the pit, even though they didn’t leave through the portal. Al, that means there has to be another way out of Kreturus’ pit. And, if they were able to leave, then there’s got to be another way in.”
Shannon said, “If there is, Julia would know how to find it. She has access to old stuff like that.” Shannon’s brow was covered in sweat.
“Kreturus,” Al said, “is worse than what you faced here, Ivy. Collin knew that when he went in. He knew that when he told you to leave your vision. And, I already know what you’re thinking. If you go in after him, you may not come back at all.” She smiled at me, “I knew your heart would pave your path.”
I looked at her anxious face, and knew she was right. My heart belonged to Collin, and he was alive. There was no way I could possibly leave him there. I risked my life to save him the night he lay bleeding in my arms. There was no way to know back then that we shared the same soul, but we did. He had a piece of me and I had a piece of him. All this time I thought that the Underworld was my destiny, but that wasn’t true. Collin was. He was my soul mate, and always would be. Whatever future I had, I knew he had to be in it. Al was right. All this time my heart was paving my path.
I took a breath, “Shannon, you were right.”
She looked at me, stunned. “About what?”
I smiled at her. “You told me that the guy in the painting was trouble. That something would make me follow him. Something would make me want to be there in the Underworld with him. Well, you were right, Shan. I’m going straight to Hell. And I’m not coming back without Collin.”
If you loved DEMON KISSED and can’t wait to see what happens, read on for a sneak peek of CURSED by H.M. Ward. Coming August 2011.
Cursed
A Demon Kissed Novel
By H.M. Ward
CHAPTER ONE
A speck of pure red light shone through the darkness. I could see him. My breath caught in my throat. Collin lay on his side with one hand extended before him, like he was trying to crawl away from something before he collapsed. I swallowed hard at the sight of his appearance, trying not to let my emotions overcome me. His filthy clothing was torn to shreds and his dark hair was matted to his scalp. Deep black lines were etched into his body. It was as if long blades pierced his flesh and the wounds were left open to putrefy. A surge of rage shot from deep within me, curling my fingers into fists. I had to get to Collin. If I could get to him, I could get us both out of here. But, I had to reach him first.
My eyes darted through the darkness. The red light formed a jagged circle in the rock surrounding Collin’s body before it fell into darkness. He was separated by a chasm that stretched between us. Collin groaned, and the hollow place in my chest felt like it would burst. I had to get to him. Now. But, time was limited. I only had until someone actually saw me. And in this darkness, someone could have been standing next to me the whole time, and I wouldn’t have known. My Martis vision didn’t work as well down here, though I didn’t know why.
Silently, I moved forward. My throat tightened in response. Crouching low to the ground, I moved slowly towards him, stretching out one leg at a time. My eyes darted through the shadows looking for other signs that demons were near, but there were none. Why was he alone? Did they really think that I would stay away? Did they think I would abandon him? My other leg stretched forward, as I shifted my body slowly toward the rim of the abyss. It was illuminated with the slightest trace of red light that moved and flickered like fire.
Suddenly the shadows that shrouded my body tried to retreat. They attempted to sever themselves from within. The sensation made me want to scream out, but I held onto them tightly. I bit my lip to muffle the sound, hoping I could hold them in place a little while longer. Without their protective layers I would be exposed. The demons would sense the Martis blood that flowed through my veins immediately. As I neared the rim, I saw that there were demons on the other side. They were behind Collin’s limp body with their deformed backs facing toward me.
I slid closer to the edge of the rim the red light licked across my face. I peered over. It was then that I felt the bond tug sharply. I looked up at Collin. His blue eyes were wide open, staring at me. He didn’t move, but the expression on his face conveyed more pain than I could bear.
His thoughts brushed my mind, Don’t come closer. He’s here. He kept me alive, waiting for you. Don’t come.
I’ll get you out, I replied silently. It’ll be all right… As soon as I can reach you, you’ll be safe. Collin’s blue eyes slid closed as he lost consciousness.
My heart raced, thundering in my ears. The shadows that shrouded me were trying to severe themselves from me. I clenched my stomach hard, knowing I had to hold them in place. But, I was losing. There was a force greater than my own, calling them away. I could no longer contain them. Slowly the shadows were stripped from my body. Their cold presence was ripped painfully out of my throat, one by one.
As the shadows retreated, the demons slowly turned. I sucked in a sharp breath as dozens of glowing red eyes landed on me. There was a moment when nothing happened. I wasn’t certain if the demons would recognize me or not, but there wasn’t time to think about it. The shock that held them motionless broke, and the demons rushed towards me with their razor sharp teeth exposed through sneering lips.
Fear threatened to freeze me in place, but I wouldn’t let it. There was no time left. I focused all my attention on the ruby stone on my finger and effonated. Searing heat shot through my body in a single burst before I reappeared next to Collin. Crouching quickly, I gripped his limp hand in mine. There was a commotion among the demons as they tried to figure out where I went. A smug smile slid across my face as the crushing fear in my chest began to ease. I’d made it. We’d be gone before they could stop us.
But, all my attention was focused on the demons, and I didn’t notice the enormous inky shadow that had stretched out above us. As I looked up, my voice ripped out of my throat in a raw scream. Massive black scales covered the beast’s body as it descended on us like a hawk, poised to strike. Four gnarled finger-like claws curved grotesquely as black blades elongated from its flesh. The winged monster descended rapidly with the wind screeching around it. It made a horrid cat-like shriek as it descended, amplified to a deafening volume. Between the ear piercing cries from its massive maw, the razor sharp claws, and the cracking of its enormous black veined wings, uncontrollable terror shot through me.
My voice rang in my ears as I screamed. Shaking, I pulled Collin into my arms, and focused on the ruby. Effonating two people was dangerous, but I could do it. It was part of the powers that I possessed from the tainted blood that flowed through my veins. If I did it wrong, I would kill us both. But, if I didn’t do it fast enough, we would both die. The heat that preceded effonating blossomed quickly and licked my belly from within. Only a few more seconds and that glorious burst of agonizing pain would transport our bodies away from here. We would be safe. But, fate didn’t allow us a few seconds. It didn’t allow us any. As the heat licked my stomach, the beast’s massive talloned paw materialized above us. The gnarled bones flexed as the serpent cried out. With a single swift movement the creature slammed its massive claws down on top of us.
Sweat covered my face as
I sat up screaming. My fingers desperately tried to find Collin’s hand, but only grabbed air. Sucking in sharply, I wiped the tears from my eyes, and pulled my knees into my chest. “That’s the third time that I had the same vision,” I rasped in a shaky voice.
Shannon’s hand was on my shoulder. She squeezed it, as the trembling worked its way out of my muscles. “The one with the dragon?”
I nodded, feeling too freaked to talk. That was the third time that I’d seen my attempt to save Collin fail. And it was the third time that I’d seen my own death.
ANTICIPATED RELEASE DATE OF CURSED BY H.M. WARD: AUGUST 31, 2011
CURSED IS THE 2nd BOOK IN THE DEMON KISSED SERIES.
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